September 22, 2017

Assateague in September

     Several weeks ago my wife and I attended a family wedding on the Eastern Shore, and at the last minute of packing I decided to throw my bike into the back of the truck. The wedding was not until late afternoon, so I headed up to Chincoteague and Assateague Islands to ride their bike trails. I always find it beautiful there, and I always leave feeling better than when I arrived. However, Assateague is changing. Recent storms have seriously eroded the beach, and a combination of erosion, sea level rise, increased exposure to salinity, and insects are turning the islands stands of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) into ghost forests.
Assateague with Dead Pines (3)

Assateague with Dead Pines (2)

Assateague Marsh with Great Heron (1)

Assateague Beach 2

Assateague Beach

Assateague (2)

Aralia spinosa (Devil's walking stick)

Solidago (Goldenrod) (1)

Solidago (Goldenrod) with Spicebush Swallowtail (2)

Agalinis maritima (Salt Marsh False Foxglove)

Heterotheca subaxillaris (Camphorweed) (2)

Kosteletzkya virginica (Seashore Mallow)

Snapping Turtle

     If you would like to find out more about Assateague, click here, and here is link to a post I wrote a couple of years ago on a similar trip. 

14 comments:

  1. Such a beautiful place. Sorry to hear about the erosion. That area is on my bucket list...one of these years. What is the best time of year to visit? Mid-spring? Autumn?

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    1. If you want to enjoy the beach, and swim, then I would go in summer, but there are throngs of people in nearby Chincoteague, especially during Pony Penning Week. If you want to see birdlife, the winter is the best time to go, and the hotels are cheaper too.

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  2. Looks like you were still able to find plenty of beautiful moments.
    Fortunately the area is protected, so even as conditions change the island and its inhabitants can shift their positions to take advantage. It's still much nicer than an eroded strip of beach with houses packed on and concrete blocks holding back the tide.

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    1. I agree about the status of the beach. Regardless of sea level rise, these barrier islands naturally shift, shrink, and grow. They just need to be allowed to do so. However, rising water is definitely having its effect.

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  3. Sadly, we noticed the same events last year when at Assateague and Chincoteague.

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  4. Beautiful photographs, despite the ominous changes.

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    1. Dead trees can make for nice photography. I just wish there were fewer examples.

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  5. Are those the islands with the ponies living wild on them ? Like many of us Les, I see you're blogging less. Don't stop entirely. I enjoy reading and seeing your posts.

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    1. Sybil, yes this is the island where the wild ponies live. On the adjacent island of Chincoteague, the volunteer fire dept. rounds the ponies up every July, and auctions a few off to raise funds. I am encouraged that many buyers actually pay the price, but allow their pony to return to Assateague.

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  6. Seems like everywhere we look there is some degree of bad news about the natural places we all love. Our Governor has essentially disabled our Dept. of Natural Resources and is willing to let any biz do any horrid thing environmentally for the right price. So we have politics and climate both affecting things negatively.

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    1. I am so frightened by what this country, and its wild places are going to look like at the end of the Trump years (wishing it would be less than one year, though). I am sorry for your what is happening in Wisconsin. So far, we have avoided that mentality here. All I can say is thank God for fishermen and hunters, they are an ally on environmental issues here.

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  7. Despite the changes, your photos depict a stunningly beautiful landscape.

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